Control relay



July 4, 1933. E. K. READ CONTROL RELAY Filed Feb. 4, 1929 INVENTOR Ernes/ f Read.

ATTORNEY I which operates a circuit interrupter apparatus.

Patented July 4, 1933 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE ERNEST K. READ, OF FOREST HILLS, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC Sz MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA CONTROL RELAY Application filed February 4;, 1929.. Serial No. 337,206.

My invention relates to switches and systems for the control of electrical apparatus and particularly to the control of circuitinterrupting devices.

It is one object of my invention to provide a circuit with'an electric-motor means by an electrically controlled contactor that shall be closed only once, however long the contactor circuit may be energized.

Diificulty has been experienced in the past with control apparatus of electrically operated circuit interrupters because of the repeated cnergization of the electrical operating mechanism when overload conditions on the line prevent the circuit interrupter from being latched in its closed position. Under such circumstances, a repeated closing and openin of the circuit interrupter causes considera le damage thereto, and the repeated heavy surges resulting on the line also cause considerable danger to connected The above-described. operation is commonly termed pumping and. heretofore, it could be avoided only by employing a highly complicated system of control apparatus which has proved both costly and unreliable.

It is a further object of my invention to provide, to take the place of the complicated contactor system heretofore employed, a single contactor that shall lock the circuit interrupter contacts in open position after having been engaged to close the circuit interrupter, the contacts remaining in the open-circuit position until the circuit to the contactor has been opened.

It is a still further object of my invention to provide an additional winding in differential relation to a winding which controls the movement of the circuit breaker to closed position that shall be energized by a predetermined abnormal condition in the circuit to quickly deenergize the closing winding in order that the circuit interrupter may be moved at once to its open-circuit position.

With these principles and objects in mind, my invention will best be understood by referring to the following description and drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a front view, in elevation, of a contactor embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side View, in elevation, of the contactor shown in Fig. 1, in the position it assumes when both coils are simultaneously energized.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are wiring diagrams showmg methods of connecting the contact device, embodying my invention, for controlhng the operation of the circuit interru ter.

Myinvention comprises, in general, a ase 1 having mounted thereon a magnetic struc-' ture 2 and an arc blow-out device 3, which latter may be of any type well known in the art, the one herein shown being provided with a blow-out winding 4, insulating side walls 5 and a cooperating magnetic circuit 6. p The magnetic structure 2 is of E-shape and is fastened to the base 1 by a bolt 8 and a stud 9, the inner portion of the latter forming a lower leg 9 of the E-shaped magnetic c rcu t 2. An upper leg 10 of the magnetic circuit 2 has a considerably reater crosssectional area than the lower eg 9, and, as the characteristics of windings l1 and 12, assoc1ated with each of the legs 9 and 10, are the same, the upper core 10 has the greater magnetic attraction because of the fact that the core 9 becomes saturated when both of the windings are energized.

An armature 13 is p1voted to a central leg 14 a pin 15 and is biased to the neutral position away from both core members 9 and 10 by a spring 16 that is fastened to the top of the armature 13 by bolts 17. The upper leg of the armature 13 carries a pair of movable contacts 18 that are connected in series by a flexible conductor 19. A pair of stationary contacts 21 are associated with the blowout device 3 in series with the blow-out WlIldlIlg 4. Springs 22 are provided on the armature 13 to bias the contacts 18 about their pivots 23 to ensure a wiping action of Elli, contacts when moved to engaged posiion.

The windings 11 and 12 are provided with extensions 24 that are clamped by bolts 25 to the'magnetic circuit 2. Terminals 26 are located at the sides of the windings for connecting the control circuit thereto.

The stud 9, that forms the lower core member, is provided with a pair of clamping nuts 27, the inner one of which acts as a support for the coil 12. A cap 28 is provided on the outer end of the stud 9 having an extension 29 that fits within the winding 12 and aids in retaining the winding in fixed position.

Referring to Fig. 3, an operating winding 31 of a circuit interrupter 32 is connected in series with .a control circuit 33, 34 through the contacts 18 and 21 of my contactor device. The windings 11 and 12 are connected in parallel relation to the circuits 33 and 34, the winding 11 having a resistor 37 in series therewith. An auxiliary switch '38 is operated by the circuit interrupter 32 and is employed to shunt the winding 11 out of ,circuit when the circuit interrupter 32 is in closed position.

When a control switch 39 is closed, the \vindings ll and 12 are simultaneously energized and, because of the greater magnetic force of the core 10, the armature 13 is attracted thereby, and the contacts 18 moved into engagement with the contacts 21 to complete a circuit to the winding 31. Upon energization of the winding 31, the circuit in"- terrupter 32 is moved to closed position, where, under normal conditions, it remains latched against the compression spring 47, which biases the circuit breaker toits open position, due to the links and 46 being in an over-center position.

Toward the end of the movement of the circuit interrupter 32, the auxiliary switch 38 closes a circuit that shunts the winding 11, so that, as the flux of the core 10 becomes dissipated, the armature 13 will be moved to neutral position, along with the contacts 18,

by the bias of the s ring 16. The armature 13 is then attracted by the core 9 of winding 12 and held in attracted position, with the contacts 18 and 21 separated, so long as the rontrol switch 39 is retained in closed-circuit position.

If, however, a predetermined abnormal condition is present in the main circuit, the circuit interru ter 32 will be tripped to open position, there )y moving the auxiliary switch 38 to open position and again energizing the winding 11. The attractive force of the core 10, associated with the winding 11, is not great enough to attract the armature from the core 9 of the winding 12, so that the con-. tacts 18 and 21 will remain separated so long as the control switch 39 is retained in closed position.

The resistor 32 is employed to prevent a short circuit being placed across the control circuit when the auxiliary switch 38 shunts the winding 11 and is eliminated in the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, wherein the windings 11 and 12 areconnected in series, the other connections and the operation be- ?ig otherwise exactly the same as that of In Fig. 5, an additional winding 41 is associated with the winding 11 and connected in parallel with a trip winding 42 which actuates the links 45 and 46 from their over-center position to allow the opening of the circuit interrupter 32 by means of spring 47, both windings being in series with contacts and the actuating switch 43 that is closed through the energization of a solenoid 48 from the main line through coil 49 by the energy of a predetermined abnormal condition in the circuit.

When the circuit interrupter 32 is moved to closed position, the energization of the winding 11 and that of the solenoid 31 pre vents the circuit interrupter 32 from being quickly moved to open position, if it fails to latch, as some time is required to dissipate the energy in the windings. If, however, the winding 41 is energized by the actuation of the switch 43 at the same time as the energization of the trip winding 42, the energy of the core 10 will be counteracted by the energy supplied by the differentially wound winding 41, and both they armature and contacts 18 will be immediately released. By thisarrangement, the circuit to the electrical operating mechanismwill be quickly disconnected, and the release of the circuit interrupter will be hastened. The characteristics of the winding ll are such that the strength thereof is not suflicient to hold the armature 13 against the bias of the spring 16 when core 10 is deenergized, or against the bias of the core member 9.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a contactor for controlling a circuit interrupter that prevents the repeated closing and openin thereof when the control switch is retamed in closed-circuit position. In addition to eliminating the pumping of the circuit interrupter, I have also provided a device that rapidly deenergizes the actuating coil of the contactor controlling the circuit interrupter to immediately permit the circuit interrupter to move to its open position.

l fhile l have described and illustrated a particular embodiment of my invention, it is apparent to any one skilled in the art that many changes, additions, subtractions and substitutions may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as invention:

1. An E-shaped magnetic core member having a windingassociated with each outer leg thereof. an armature pivoted on the cen tral leg, means for biasing the armature out of engagement with both outer legs when the release simultaneously, the number of turns out said windings, the amount of current flow therein, and the dimensions of said core being such that one outer leg has greater magnetic attraction for the armature than the other outer leg when said windings are energize simultaneously.

2. An E-shaped magnetic core member having a winding associated with each outer leg thereof, an armature pivbted on the central leg, means for biasing the armature out of engagement withboth outer legs when the windin s on said outer legs are deenergiaed, means or energizing said windings simultaneousl the number of turns of said windings, t e amount of current flow therein, and

the dimensions of said core being such that one outer leg has greater magnetic attraction for the armature than the other leg when said windin s are energized simultaneously and means i or deenergizing the winding of the first said leg, the magnetic attraction of said second leg being of such strength as to attract the armature when the winding of the first leg is deenergized and retain the.

armature against the attractive force of the first said leg if the latter is again energized.

3, An E-shaped magnetic core member having a winding associated with each outer leg thereof, the one outer leg having a greater cross-sectional area than the other leg, an armature pivoted-on the central leg, means for biasing the armature out of en agement with each of the outer legs and a circuit for energizing said windings simultaneously so that the leg having the greater cross-sectional area attracts the armature. i

4. An E-shaped magnetic core membe having a winding associated with each outer leg thereof, the one outer leg having a greater cross-sectional area than the other leg, afi

armature pivoted on the central leg, means for biasing the armature out of engagement with each of the outer legs, a circuit for energizing said windings simultaneously so that the leg having the greater cross-sectional area attracts the armature, and means for deenergizing the winding of the first said leg whereby the second leg attracts and retains the armature against the attracting force of the first said leg if the latter is againenergizcd.

' 5. A control mechanism includin of core members having an electrica 1y energized winding associated with each member in such manner that the magnetic attractive force of one member is greater than the attractive force of the other, an armature, supporting means therefor, means for biasing said armature out of engagement with both core members, a stationary contact member, a movable contact member associated with the armature, and an electric circuit for energizing the windings, so that the core member a pair 7 having the pre onderance of magnetic attraction moves t e armature to cause engagement of the contact members.

. 6. A control mechanism including a pair of core members having a'winding associated with each member, an armature, supporting means therefor, means for biasing said armature out of engagement with both core members, a stationary contact member, a movable contact member associated with the armature, means including an electric circuit for ener gizing the windings, and causing said core members to exert opposing torcesof different values and move the armature to cause said contact members to engage each other, and

means for deenergizing the winding of said core member exerting the larger force to release the armature and permit it to be attracted by the other said core member, said other core member then exerting a forceo'n said armature suiiicicnt to retain the movable contact out of engagement with the stationary contact member against the attraction of the first said core member if the winding associated therewith is again energized.

7. A controlmechanism includmg a pair of. core members of different cross-sectional areas, a winding-of substantially the same magnetic strength associated with'each core member, an armature biased out of engagement with each core member, a stationary contact member, a movable contact member the stationary contact, and means thereafter for causing the flux in the first said core member to dieoutto rmit the armature 'to be attracted by the .ot er core member and to be retained thereby in open-c1rcuit pos1- tion against the bias of the other said core member if it is again energized.

8. In electrical apparatus, a circuit inter rupter, a pair of electrically actuated magnets having ,cores and an armature biased out of engagement with sald cores, a pair of' separable contacts actuated by said armature for controlling the, circuit interrupter, a circuit for energizing said magnets, said circuit and said magnets having electrical characteristics such that one of said magnets has a greater attractive force than the other, and

means actuated by the operation of the closing of the circuit interrupter to deenergiz the first said magnet and permit the second said magnet to attract the armature and retain it with the contacts in separated position against the attraction of the first said magnet it" the latter is again energized.

' 9. In electrical apparatus, a circuit interrupter having an electrically operated mechanism and a control switch, a two coil contactor both of which coils are energized by the completion of a circuit thereto by said control switch, a circuit completed by said contactor to said operating mechanism and means actuated by the closing of said circuit interrupter for rendering one of the coils inoperative and preventing the repeated operation of the circuit interrupter if the control switch is retained in closed-circuit position.

'10. An electromagnet control device having separable contacts, an E-shaped magnetic circuit, a winding on each of the outer legs thereof, an armature pivoted on the central leg for controlling the relative positions of said separable contacts, means for biasing said armature out of engagement with said legs, and a circuit for energizing said windings for producing a magnetic force in said outer legs, the number of turns of said Wind-' ings, the amount of current flow therein, and

the dimensions of said magnetic circuit being such that one leg has a greater attractive force said armature is out of engagement with said legs, and that the attractive force of said first leg is not great enough to move said armature if it is in engagement with the other said 1e 11. contactor having a pair of windings and a stationary contact member, a circuit for energizing said windings,'a core associated with each winding, one core having a smaller cross-sectional area than the other, an armature associated with a movable contact member for engaging the said stationary contact member and pivoted to engage either core, biasing means adapted to retain the armature in neutral position out of engagement with each core leg when said windings are deenergized and a third winding difierentially wound in relation to the winding associated with the pore having the greater name cross-sectional area and means for energizing said third winding to quickly reduce the energy of that core,

12. In electrical apparatus, a circuit interrupter having an electrical operating mechanism, a contactor having a pair of windings and associated cores, an armature carrying for controlling the energization of one of said windings responsive to the position of said circuit interrupter, a third winding differentially associated with one of said windings and means responsive to changes in the circuit condition for preventing the latching of said circuit interrupter in closed position and for energizing said diflerentially associated winding to quickly release said armature after the first of said coils is deenergized by the operation of the circuit interrupt-er, whereby the armature is attracted by the second core, the force exerted by said second core when the armature is in engagement therewith being suficient to hold the armature against the magnetic attraction of the said core having the greater magnetic attraction it it is again energized upon further movement of the circuit interrupter.

in testimony whereof, I have hereunto suhscribed my name this iilstday of January ERNEST K. READ 

